Wildlife officials accidentally captured the heaviest Florida panther ever documented during a routine population check.

The massive panther was tranquilized and captured with a net, after it had climbed a tree, before it was weighed and collared.

The heaviest wild Florida panther ever recorded in the state has been caught by research scientists—who discovered it weighed 166 pounds. The Florida panther is a type of cougar or mountain lion, which used to be prevalent across the southeastern U.

Roughly 75 years ago the Florida panther, a unique subspecies of the North American cougar, was nearly extinct when there were only 10 estimated to be

Biologists recently captured, collared and released a very stout male cat. When they weighed him, they realized he was the heaviest specimen of the endangered species anyone had ever documented.

A team of Florida researchers captured and collared a 166-pound male panther. They say it's the heaviest panther ever caught in the state.

Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission officers just caught the largest panther ever weighed in the sunshine state. The big cat was spotted perched in a tree at the Tarpon Blue Ag Babcock Ranch in Punta Gorda last week. After officers were able to safely remove the Panther from the tree, they say it weighed 165 pounds.

Florida panthers. Thirty-six of the endangered cats were killed by vehicle strike – the most since 2016. Yet Florida has no set budget for wildlife crossings. The Sun

FLORIDA, USA — Biologists with the Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) have captured what they say is the heaviest Florida panther on record. Weighing in at 166 pounds, the panther was found on Wednesday, Jan. 29 in Babcock Ranch, FWC told 10 Tampa Bay.